Out of the Flames
by SilverRavenClaw
Summary: Revised version of Dark Angel. not very gud at summeries lol. Rated M for adult scenes not yet in it. R&R plz! btw, its not really in a genre lol idk what to put it under yet.
1. Prologue

Ok peoplz this is a revised version of Dark Angel, so im leaving that one alone ill just update more on this one. Some of the names in this story have been used by other ppl but the charactors are mine so plz dont sue me if u think im stealling them. i think that Marius is the only one that i dont own lol. This is rated M because of a rape memory, and because of later reasons, once i get that far lol. ...did i forget anything...?...well if i did plz let me know.

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Out of the Flames

Prologue

_Revenge, _she thought,_ is a dish best served cold. I will exact my revenge upon you. I know not how nor when, but I can swear to you, you will die by my hand with your own screams echoing in the quiet night and my laughter ringing in your ears. You killed my little sister and I, at least my twin was not here when you killed us or there would be no one to bring me back. _She laughed_ We tasted your blood in the last moments of our life and what we are craves that blood. I will find you, where ever you may go, I will find you._

She watched the murderer leave, dripping blood from the bite on his wrist, despite the rag he'd pressed to it to stop the bleeding. The door closed, the murderer unaware of the spirit who watched him and planned her revenge. She turned, her long silvery-white hair fanning out, and looked at her sister's body laying on the sofa, still bleeding from the numerous wounds the covered it. As she looked at it, the spirit of her little sister rose out of the body. Her strawberry blonde hair moved to cover part of her face as she looked down at her body.

She looked at her older sister. "I tried." Was all she could say. The older sister nodded, knowing what she was talking about. "Come and sit with me," she said as she indicated the sofa.

Both spirits sat next to the body, neither knowing what the other seemed to be waiting for.

Before long, flames, six or seven feet in height, arose from the floor. Neither woman moved, but watched with interest as the flames continued to burn for a moment or two, then died. A man with the head of a jackal stood where the flames had been. Both women stood as one and bowed to the jackal-headed God, Anubis.

"My Lord." The elder of the two spoke in Egyptian.

Anubis extended his hand. "It is time." His lips did not move, yet they could hear his words perfectly.

Both women nodded and moved closer. When the younger of the women tried to lay her hand on his, Anubis merely shook his head and pointed behind her. "You are not to come with us," he said to her as she turned, "you are to go with him."

The younger woman looked at what the God was pointing at. Out of the shadows a tall figure emerged. His huge black wings folded comfortably on his back, his black hair pulled back with a hair tie. Beside him stood a dragon, no more then four feet long from tip of nose to tip of tail, with beautiful sapphire blue and purple scales. She smiled.

He reached out his hand to her. "Come with me."

She looked at her older sister and Anubis, and bowed to him. "We'll see each other again, Arianua."

"That we shall, Chrystal. Goddess bless."

Chrystal watched as her sister was engulfed in the flames with Anubis then went over to the Fallen Arch Angel that waited for her. Dragon she thought as she laid her hand in his. He smiled. As they faded into the shadows she smiled. _"Nemo me impune lacessit."_

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ok a bit short but i think then next one will be longer. R&R plz 


	2. Chapter 1

Ok chapter 1 lol same thing from the Prologue. chars are mine plz dont steal.

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A tall young man walked out of the bar called "Dragon's Blood." He was about 25 years old it appeared, with long white-blonde hair, beautiful eyes that absorbed the colors around him so that they could be silvery-blue, violet, silvery-grey or any other color, white even teeth that seemed to glow in the moon light as he smiled at a passing stranger. The man wore a red silk shirt under a long black leather trench coat, he wore black jeans and tall black leather boots. At his belt, he had a silver dagger. The hilt of the dagger was in the shape of the Wolf and had belonged to his youngest daughter. She and one of her elder sisters had been killed some 6 years earlier.

The young man walked into the forest, going home by a path no one could see. "Lestat!" Called someone in the darkness.

Lestat smiled and turned. "Slayer. What a wonderful surprise," he said still smiling, his French accent still strongly audible.

The Slayer, a girl of about 17, was holding a long sharp wooden stake. She threw it at him not bothering to answer him. Lestat nimbly side stepped the stake. "So you wish to fight, Slayer."

She drew a sword from the sheath at her back, the blade singing, holding it in front of her, "You're a monster."

Lestat looked at her then drew his dagger. He cocked an eyebrow at it then transformed it into a sword, "Why do you say that I'm a monster? I have done nothing to you, Slayer."

"You kill innocent people every night." She said nothing more as she swung her sword at his neck. He blocked the blow easily, then slid his blade down hers to form a V with the hilts.

"And you," he replied, "kill my kind every night. So I guess we're even, Monchar."

She glared at him as she freed her sword from his and swung it again. He parried it, then followed through with his own attack that sent her flying backward into a tree. She slid to the ground then got back to her feet using the sword as a crutch. She took another stake from her belt and threw it at him. Lestat merely stepped to the side, hearing the stake hit another tree with a thud.

"Come now, Slayer, surely you can do better then that," he taunted, pulling the stake out of the tree, looked at it for a second then threw it back at her. The Slayer's eyes widened as she watched it speed toward her and leapt out of the way. She ran at him raising her sword again, Lestat, not bothering to raise his sword, waited for her to get closer then aimed a kick to her middle section sending her fly back into the tree.

"Had enough yet, Slayer?" He asked as she landed hard on the ground.

"Never," she snarled at him picking herself up off the ground. Shaking her head to clear it, she walked nearer to him and they began to circle each other. Neither was afraid of the other, nonetheless, each one turned to keep the other in their sight.

_Yes, go ahead and turn, Lestat, _She thought to her self,_ because you know I hate you and if given the chance, I will kill you. _Lestat lashed out with his power, the Slayer sensed the rising magic in his aura and jumped out of the way just in time, dropping her sword in the process. The energy Lestat sent out crashed into a tree, bursting it into flames.

"Is that the best you can do, Vampire?" She taunted back as she brought out sliver throwing stars from her belt.

She started throwing them at him. Lestat ducked, swerved and swayed out of the way. Nevertheless, one silver star got lodged in his shoulder, while the rest were caught in the surrounding trees behind him. Feeling the burn of the silver lodged in his flesh, he ripped it free and hurled it back at her. She saw it coming and ducked so it flew harmlessly over her head.

She ran at him again with her sword raised. Lestat brought his up just as she brought her's down, the clash of metal on metal resounding through the forest. Lestat leapt back, then leapt forward again. He sung his sword in an uppercut motion then changed it to the Butterfly Effect at the last moment to confuse her. It worked. She thought he was going to follow through with the uppercut but he didn't.

Lestat's blade bit down hard into her flesh, she screamed and fell to her knees, her sword slipping out of her hand as she sought to staunch the bleeding. Lestat backed away a few paces. The Slayer gritted her teeth as she got back to her feet. "Have you had enough now?" He asked her as he watched her sway on the spot from the loss of blood.

She shook her head, immediately regretting it as dizziness struck her back to her knees. He shook his head and looked at her for a moment. "What's your name, Child?" She was using her sword to help her up again.

"Harmony," she answered through gritted teeth. "And don't call me "child"."

Lestat simply laughed, with a pass of his hand over his blade the blood vanished and the sword turned back into a dagger. He resheathed it and said, "Very well, Harmony. We'll meet again." He could feel the heat of dawn as it rapidly approached. "Remember, Slayer, blood for blood." He backed into the shadows and was gone.

Harmony fell to her knees again. She had lost a lot of blood already. She tore one of the sleeves off her shirt and bound the wound in her side. "Damn Vampire," she said to herself as she got up once again, "at least the blade didn't have poison on it." She started walking back home. Her long blonde hair being tossed about by the warm breeze. Her emerald green eyes glazed with exaughstion and pain.

Her parents were still asleep when she got home. Harmony went into the bathroom to clean her wound. After she cleaned it, she sewed it up and went to bed.

She woke around noon. She ate breakfast, did her chores and got out of the house without her parents pestering her. Her house was surrounded by forest, so she set down the path she had trod into the forest floor after years of walking down it. She walked through the forest for about 30 minutes before she reached her destination. A small opening in the ground at the foot of an ancient mansinita tree. She slipped inside the opening and walked carefully down the stone stairs into a huge cavern. Finding the torch next to the stairs, she lit it. Walking around the cavern, she ignited the other torches in the brackets spread around the stone cavern then put the one she had taken from the bracket near the stairs back in its place.

On all the walls were weapons of assorted sizes. Swords, daggers, maces, ball and chain, lances, and others. Harmony went over to a desk that held some books, two crystal balls; one of red crystal, the other of black; a small dish that held silver powder, and an automatic hand gun.

This gun held a special kind of bullet. The bullets were made of very thin, fragile glass. Inside the bullet held liquid UV rays. Harmony picked up the gun loaded it and put it back in its holster, then began to change her bandage again. She cleaned it out; even though the stitches held, blood still seeped through; then rebandaged it. When she was finished, she took a crossbow down from one of the walls. She slung the crossbow and a quiver of bolts across the back of a chair.

Harmony went into another cavern that connected to the one she was just in. This one was smaller then the one before. She went to a large stone chest and opened it. Inside it there was an assortment of clothes. Taking out tight silk black tank top, a pair of black leather pants, a long black leather trench coat with a hood, and tall black boots with silver clasps. Harmony put the clothes on, tucked the tank top into the pants and tucked the pants into the boots. She closed the chest and walked back into the large cavern while she put on the trench coat. She slung the crossbow and quiver across her back, took the gun and its holster and strapped it on. Harmony then tied her long hair back out of her face with a hair tie.

She went around the cavern putting out the torches until the one by the stairs was the only one lit. She looked around making sure she had everything she needed, put out the last torch then climbed the stairs back out of the cavern. She looked around, feeling someone watching her, then looked at the patches of sky that could be seen through the canopy of the forest. _Almost dusk. Time to go hunting,_ she thought to herself. She hadn't thought that she had been in the cavern that long. She set down another path through the forest and walked into a cemetery just as the sun set behind the mountains.

Harmony looked for a place to hide for a while. Finding a nice place on the top of a tomb that was cast in the shadow of a very large tree that stood next to it. She climbed on top of it and sat in the shadows, waiting for her prey. About two and a half hours passed before a Vampire came into the cemetery and walked toward the tomb Harmony was hiding on. He had his prey with him; a young girl about Harmony's age.

The Vampire held the girl against the tomb's door and began to kiss her. As he got to her neck, Harmony leapt off the tomb and landed on his back just as he exposed his fangs. "You know, you really should find a girl your own age," she told him. He had not expected anyone to be there other then him and his prey, so having someone jump onto his back startled him enough to let go of the girl by mistake.

The frightened girl screamed and ran from the cemetery, leaving Harmony and the Vampire to wrestle for control. The Vampire threw Harmony off his back and into the tomb wall behind them. She hit the wall with a loud thud. She was dazed for a minute, but fine nonetheless. As she stood up, she reached inside her coat and pulled out the gun. The Vampire was running from her and she feel up to chasing him.

She took aim and pulled the trigger. A bullet went through the Vampire's left shoulder. He stumbled but kept running. She pulled the trigger again. The bullet went through his other shoulder. He fell to his knees, the UV rays in the bullets doing their work.

The UV rays were burning him from the inside out. Blue light and black smoke was pouring out of his mouth. His face and throat were showing burns. The Vampire lay on the ground, dying. Harmony walked up just as he burst into flames and was nothing more then ash.

"Death. Is only the beginning." She said and walked away.

When she got home, her mother was waiting for her.

"Where have you been, young lady?" She asked.

"Been out."

"Out where?"

"I've been in the forest, Mom." She said taking off her jacket, having changed back into her everyday clothes before she had walked home.

"You're supposed to check in every few hours and you know it." Her mother said. "Your Father and I have been worried sick."

"Sorry."

"Well I hope you are. Now go wash your hands for supper."

Harmony went upstairs to wash her hands then helped her mother set the table and serve dinner. After dinner, Harmony went up to her room to clean her wound then went to bed.

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ok a little longer lol. if u have ne ideas plz let me know in your reviews R&R 


	3. Chapter 2

Same thing from the other chapys lol

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Lestat de Lioncourt had gone home after his fight with the Slayer. He lived in a castle on the same Caribbean island that the Slayer lived. This castle was given to him by Marius when he had left to go his own way after he had taught Lestat many things that he had not known.

The wound the Slayer had given him had healed instantly. His shirt and coat were ruined so he threw them away. He had plenty more in his closet. Lestat sat at his desk in his study on the third floor for a while and wrote in his journal. He used this as a past time now since he had no one to talk to. A couple hours had passed before he realized that the sun had risen higher in the sky. He put away the journal and turned off the light. He went to the fourth floor to his room, undressed and laid in his bed. He had a coffin but he chose to sleep in the bed some nights. It was not long after he had lain down that he fell into a deep sleep...

_He looked around him, trying to remember if he had ever been here before. With a jolt, Lestat realized that he was standing in the room his daughters had been killed in. Their blood still scented the air, although it was not as strong as it had been. The room had been cleaned of all the blood that the humans could find, but that hadn't gotten rid of the sent. He stood there for a moment wondering if this was a dream or a memory. This can't be a memory, he thought to himself, I haven't set foot in this room since that night when I saw Chrystal's broken and bloody body on that sofa._

_"You're right, this isn't a memory." Someone said from behind him._

_Lestat turned, and his eyes widened. There behind him stood Arianua, the younger of his twin daughters. She looked as she did the last time he had seen her; about an inch or so shorter then his 6' 2", long silvery-blonde hair that fell in waves past her buttocks, silver-grey eyes, his high cheek bones, her body so much like that of her mother yet so much different, her pale skin could rival the whiteness of newly fallen snow. "Are you...?" He asked._

_"No, Da, I'm not alive. This is just a visit from me. Sorry it took so long to be able to come to you. Osiris had not wanted me to return before it was time."_

_He looked confused for a moment. "'Before it was time?' Time for what?" _

_She smiled. "You will soon know. However, I must be leaving now."_

_"Leaving? Already?"_

_She nodded. "You'll see me again soon..." she said as she faded into the shadows._

Lestat woke with a start that night, the blood sweat making the sheet stick to his body. He got up, using the sheet to wipe away the rest of the blood sweat, went to his closet and put on black jeans, black boots, a silver colored silk shirt, let his hair down and put on a light jacket. He couldn't get Arianua's words out of his head Before it was time... He wanted to know what she had meant by that. Well there's going to be plenty of time for me think about what she said he thought to himself.

He left his castle and walked to the park on the other side of the island. As he walked through the park, he saw a young woman of about 17 years. She had gold colored hair that was tiger stripped. Her eyes were black and her skin as pale as newly fallen snow. She was wearing a gold colored midriff tank top, black jeans, and black boots with silver buckles on them. She smiled at Lestat then turned back to the young man that was sitting next to her on the park bench. She whispered in his ear and he became limp.

The woman leaned his head back exposing his throat. She leaned forward and bit him. The young man became paler the longer she drank. Lestat watched her with loving eyes. When she finished feeding, she walked over to Lestat, who was waiting at the base of a tree.

"Hello, Father," she said. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

"I'm sorry, Love," ha said embracing her. "I like your new look."

She laughed and brushed a lock of black hair from her face. "Thanks."

"Having a good evening?"

"Yeah, now that you're here."

They walked down by the beach near the park and sat down.

"Have you fed yet, Father?" She asked.

"No, not yet," he answered. "I was just going to when I saw you, Riska."

"Well, I know a good spot over there by the forest," Riska said, "a young girl walks into the forest every morning and doesn't come out until dark."

"No need to go over there," he said as he watched a group of teenage girls a little further down the beach, they were all giggling and watching him. "I think I'll go over there to those girls over there. Want to come?" He asked as he got up.

Riska's smile said her answer as she got up as well. Lestat and Riska walked over to the little group. The girl standing in the middle of the group looked to be the eldest of them. She was very pretty. Long dark hair, bright blue eyes, tall. She was wearing a pink mini skirt with a white blouse, her boots were knee high and white.

As Lestat and Riska came closer, the girl told the others to be quiet. When the reached the group, Lestat smiled at them, making the girls blush.

"You have a beautiful wife, Sir," the girl in the pink mini skirt said.

"I'm not his wife, I'm his daughter," Riska told her, smiling.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Not a problem, my dear," Lestat told her, taking her hand and kissing it. "What's your name?"

"Um...S...Stacey. Stacey Rodgers," she stuttered. "And you are?"

"William Lioncourt," he answered," my daughter is Elizabeth."

"My name is Elizabeth," said a girl to the right of Stacey.

"Really. Isn't that nice," Riska replied. "Father, Elizabeth and I are going for a walk to get to know each other. Why don't you and Stacey get to know one another, okay?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Love," he said. "Stacey, would you walk with me?"

"Um...ok."

"Come on Elizabeth, walk with me." Riska said.

"Um...why don't you two come with us?" Stacey asked. "Mom said I couldn't be alone with someone I don't know. But if you two come with us then I guess Mom won't mind."

Riska smiled and walked back over to Lestat and Stacey with Elizabeth. They walked together not in any particular direction. Once they had gotten far enough away from the rest of the people at the park and beach, Lestat and Riska looked at each other and smiled. Lestat took Stacey's hand and Elizabeth's hand then used his mind to transport all four of them to his castle.

Elizabeth screamed. Stacey looked so scared that she couldn't scream at all.

"W...where are we," Stacey asked, terrified.

"We're still on the island," Lestat answered, "just on the other side of it. Welcome to my home."

Lestat took off his jacket and shirt then tossed them on the chair beside him.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked moving away from Riska. "Why are you taking off your shirt?"

"He always takes off his shirt when he's at home," Riska answered for him. "Or at least most of the time."

"Why?" Stacey asked.

Lestat shrugged. "Because I can."

The two girls looked at each other, confused. In a corner of the room there was a large stereo, Lestat went over to it and turned it on. With his back to her, Riska noticed something that she had never noticed before; a Vampiric ankh, which was a dark purplish color, was on the back of Lestat's left shoulder, she wondered for a moment how long he'd had it then pushed it out of her mind. Loud classical rock music blared through the speakers.

"Um...Mr. Lioncourt, I think we should go home now," Stacey shouted to make herself heard over the music.

"Home?" Lestat asked. "No one said anything about going home." _Don't kill them, Riska, they're innocent. _Lestat said to Riska with his mind as he walked back over to Stacey and put his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. He saw Riska roll her eyes out of the corner of his eye. Stacey tried to push him away, but it was like trying to move a solid mountain, he didn't budge. Lestat pulled her closer to close the gap between them.

"You're cold!" Stacey cried. "How can that be when it's warm in here?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Lestat answered, smiling, but as he smiled, his eyeteeth grew longer and sharper, while his eyes turned violet.

Stacey saw this and started to struggle again.

"Do not be frightened, my child. If you struggle, it will only cause you more pain." With that said, Lestat put his other hand at the back of her head and tilted her head back, exposing her throat. He bent his head so that his lips touched her throat and bit her. Stacey screamed as his fangs pierced her throat, then relaxed as he soothed her pain, giving her only the pleasure of the bite.

Elizabeth, who had sat on the couch with Riska and had been watching what was happening, jumped up off the couch and ran to the front door. She didn't get very far. Riska got up and cut her off before she had gone more then a few paces.

"And where do you think you're going?" Riska asked smiling a smile the showed her fangs.

"Ou...out of here!" Elizabeth cried.

She ran the other direction but Riska caught her again. This time she threw her on the floor. Stacey was limp in Lestat's arms, her face pale as chalk.

Who are you? She asked with her mind, not knowing he could hear her.

Lestat. He replied.

He stopped drinking just before he took enough to kill her, and laid her gently on the floor. He ran his tongue over his teeth, kicking away the traces of Stacey's blood, and turned in the direction where Riska had pinned the struggling Elizabeth to the floor.

"You should stop struggling, my child, it will only make the pain worse," he advised.

Lestat knelt next to Elizabeth and put one hand at the back of her head, tilting her head back to expose her throat. "Would you like to join me?" He asked Riska.

"I'd love to."

As if they were one, they bent their heads together and bit Elizabeth. She screamed as their fangs pierced her throat, then relaxed as Lestat soothed her pain just as he had done with Stacey. Elizabeth started screaming again, and pushed at Riska. Lestat understood; Riska was giving Elizabeth pain, for what reason he did not know. He used his power to give Riska the pain that she was giving Elizabeth. Elizabeth stopped screaming and relaxed again as Riska was hit with the pain she had given to her. Riska stopped feeding to stop the pain and glared at her father. Lestat did not return the glare but his gaze was cold enough to make her drop her eyes from his.

Lestat fed a few moments longer, then stopped. Both girls were very pale but both looked peaceful while they slept. Licking away the last traces of blood from his teeth, Lestat stood up and using his mind returned the girls to where they had been before they had come to the castle.

"Have you been practicing your staff fighting, Riska?" Lestat asked.

"Yes I have," she answered, thinking that the earlier incident had been forgotten, sitting back on the coach, "but all my opponents weren't very competitive."

"Well that's gonna change right now," Lestat said.

He walked over to a large cabinet, opened it and took out two wooden staves. After closing the cabinet, he turned and tossed one of the staves at Riska. She caught it with ease and got up. They stood in the center of the room with ten paces between them, the music blaring in their ears. They bowed to each other then took their battle stances.

Riska was in a crouched position like a tigress getting ready to pounce on her prey. She held her staff behind her back with one hand. Her eyes flashed turning a poisonous emerald green. Her head down just enough so her hair shielded her face.

Lestat was in a standing position, his knees bent just a little. He held his staff so that it seemed to be resting on his shoulder. His eyes flashed to an icy grey as he moved his head just a little to the side, strands of his white blonde hair falling into his eyes.

"Make your move, Father," Riska said.

In response, Lestat leapt high into the air, making his staff whistle through the air as he swung it downward. Riska brought her's up to meet his at the last moment. A deafening crack resounded through the room as the staves connected with each other. The force of the blow was so great that if they had been human, their arms would have been broken.

Lestat leapt backward. Riska ran at him, her staff held behind her back. She swung the staff at his head. He blocked it and swung his staff at her knees. She blocked again, and vaulted over him, turning her body to face his back and swung the staff at his lower back. Lestat turned and stuck the butt of the staff into her stomach so that it came out through her back. While Riska's blood ran down the length of the staff, Lestat used the staff to throw her across the room. She hit the opposite wall with a sickening crunch as her head collided with the stone.

Lestat bent to pick up the staff Riska had dropped as she had flown across the room and walked over to her. She was climbing shakily to her feet, the hole in her stomach nearly healed and fresh blood stained her tiger striped hair. He stood and merely looked at her his eyes still icy grey and said nothing.

"Alright...I guess I deserved that..." she said quietly, though he could hear the venom in her voice.

Lestat looked out the window at the rising sun, then put the staves back in the cabinet and turned off the music. "I guess we should get bed. Follow me."

She nodded and followed him up the stairs and to a door on the second floor. "Have a good sleep," he said, kissing her forehead.

"You too." She said as he walked away going to the third floor. She opened the door and went inside, closing the door behind her. In the middle of the room was an Egyptian sarcophagus made of gold and silver. Riska walked over to the sarcophagus and ran her hand over it. "He kept it after all these years," she whispered, then read the hieroglyphics in the cartouche on the lid.

She moved the lid of the sarcophagus, climbed in and shut the lid. As she lay there, an enchanting sleep came over her, so powerful that she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. When she awoke the next night, Riska didn't know where she was for a moment. As she lifted her hand, it brushed the lid of the sarcophagus, she remembered where she was. Riska moved the lid so she could climb out. She closed the lid and went into the same room from last night. Lestat was sitting in a large comfortable-looking leather chair by the fire reading a book. When she entered the room he looked up and smiled.

"Have a good sleep?" He asked.

She nodded and sat on the couch.

"Good."

She looked at the book he was reading. "You're reading Macbeth?"

"Yes I am," he answered. "Shakespeare was a brilliant fellow."

"Have you read Romeo and Juliet?" She asked.

"No. Have you?"

"Yep. It was very good too."

"Really? What was it about?" He asked.

"Two feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets."

"Interesting," he remarked, "I'll have to read it when I'm done with Macbeth." He put a marker in his book, set it on the table next to him and got up.

Riska stood up and stretched. Lestat walked over to the door and asked her, "Coming?"

Riska smiled and walked over to him. "Of course."

Lestat opened the door and went outside, closely followed by Riska.

Feet pounding in the forest. Hearts beating with a rush of adrenalin. Flash of blonde, blur of fang. Faces whipped by the tree branches. Leaping over fallen trees with the agility of the Panther. Lestat and Riska raced through the forest, each smiling with the thrill of the hunt.

Riska transformed into the Bangle Tiger and leapt into a tree.

"Lestat!" A voice called from the darkness.

He stopped running and turned toward the voice.

"Slayer. Out for an evening stroll through the forest?" He asked sarcastically.

Harmony walked out of the shadow of a giant mansinita tree and stood about ten feet away from him. Her back to Riska.

"You can come closer, you know," Lestat said gently. "I shan't harm you."

"I know that's a lie," she shot back.

"Slayer, you have my word that I will do you no harm."

She glared at him and withdrew a large silver cross, the bottom of which was as sharp as a dagger. Harmony moved closer, knowing that once a Vampire gave his word, he could not go back on it. She stopped three feet away from him.

"What do you want, Lestat?" She asked.

"Nothing really."

Riska watched them as they talked. She recognized the girl as the one she had seen walking through the forest all the time. Lestat had said that he wouldn't hurt her, but he had said nothing about Riska. Riska bunched herself together and pounced, flying through the air toward Harmony.

Harmony saw a shadow pass over her head and turned. Her eyes grew very wide as she stared at the Tiger coming toward her. She moved just as the Tiger landed in the exact spot Harmony had been standing.

The Tiger turned, its golden eyes flashing in the moonlight. The Tiger walked toward Harmony. As she watched, the big cat transformed onto the form of a young girl. The girl advanced. Harmony held up her cross, afraid.

Riska paid no heed to the silver cross in Harmony's hand. She sensed that the Slayer was afraid and smiled, showing her fangs. Because her eyes were still golden from being the tiger, the smile had more of an effect on the Slayer then if her eyes had been black. As Riska stepped in front of Harmony, the Slayer thrust the cross into Riska's face. Riska tilted her head to one side, then knocked the cross out of Harmony's hand. Harmony stood dumbfounded, as Riska put her hand around Harmony's throat.

"Oh. By the way, Slayer, this is my daughter, Riska." Lestat said, coming to stand next to them.

"D...d...daughter?!" Harmony choked, trying to get free of Riska's iron grip.

"Yes. I'm his daughter," Riska said. "If I had known that you were the Slayer, I'd have killed you the first time I saw you in the forest."

"This was the girl in the forest you were telling me about, Riska?" Lestat asked.

"Yes, Father," she answered. "Well, since you're the Slayer, maybe your blood will be stronger then that of a normal human's."

As Riska bent her head to bite Harmony, Lestat caught hold of her wrist. "No, Riska. I gave her my word that no harm would come to her."

Riska looked up at Lestat for a moment. "You said that you would do her no harm. You never said anything about me, Father." She looked back at Harmony, "This is what makes my kind dangerous: a hunter's instincts and a human's mind. Humanity's cruel way of toying with the world, laced with the savage, unthinking hunt of the wild animal." Before Lestat could stop her, Riska sank her fangs into Harmony. Harmony screamed as pain spread though her body.

"Enough!" Lestat commanded as he tore Riska away from Harmony. He stood between them. Harmony slumped to the ground behind Lestat as Riska picked herself up of the forest floor several yards away from them. "I thought you were smart enough to figure out that I meant you as well, _Child_."

Harmony fought to stay conscious. She couldn't believe how much blood Riska had taken from her in so little time. _Why is he saving me? _She asked herself. _He could have easily killed me the other night, but he didn't._

"I'm no child." Riska spat, coming toward them. "You've become soft over the years, Father."

"This girl is innocent. You shall not kill her," Lestat's eyes had turned back to the icy grey from the night before. "Did you not learn anything from last night?"

"Is this what the great Lestat has become? Protecting _humans_? How pathetic." She taunted, ignoring his question. "You may not kill innocents, Father, but I _can_ and I _will_. Now get out of my way."

He did not move, "Never. You'll have to get through me first to get to her." She glared at him. His temper had not surfaced liked she had wanted, he had kept it in check.

She ran toward them, keeping her father in her sight. Lestat merely waved an arm toward her, and she flew backward as if she was a puppet. "You forget, Daughter, I control your blood and the blood of all Vampires. I do not need to touch you to cause you pain or...to kill you..." Lestat said coldly as she picked herself up off the ground again. "You're lucky you're my daughter or I'd kill you without a second thought."

Harmony struggled to stay awake as she watched Lestat keep Riska away from her. "Go home, Riska," Lestat commanded. He turned, picked up the cross and put in Harmony's hand then gently picked her up and held her closely to his body in his arms. He had expected her to try and fight him off but she didn't. Riska watched as he did this then disappeared into the darkness of the shadows.

Lestat turned back around knowing that Riska had left. Harmony was surprised by the gentleness Lestat had shown her. She could feel his muscles ripple under his pale skin as he walked in the direction of her house. Repositioning her arm, her hand brushed against the bare skin of his chest that showed over his V-neck style shirt. Her tired eyes grew wide for a second.

"Your skin is cold but you're radiating heat. Why?" she asked.

As he looked down at her, she noticed that his eyes were a beautiful violet color. "Just the remainder of my temper," he answered softly looking ahead of them again.

She nodded. "Thank you...for saving me."

"Do not thank me. I should have stopped her sooner then what I had." Harmony could hear sorrow in his voice. "I gave you my word that you would not be harmed...and it was broken."

"But you didn't break it...she did..." Harmony said tiredly. "Why did you save me? Why didn't you kill me the other night? You could have...easily..."

"You're an innocent. And I don't kill innocents...not anymore at least." He looked down at her again. "And besides, if I killed you, then who would slay the Vampires that deserve it?"

She looked puzzled for a moment. "You don't mind that I kill your kind? Why?"

"Some of them deserve it." Lestat studied her for a moment. "How are you feeling?"

"My neck burns and my body feels like it's been hit by a train. And I feel so cold."

Lestat laughed. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I can heal the wound on your neck if you want."

The forest was becoming thinner, the trees farther and farther apart. Harmony winced as she touched the holes in her throat. "Alright, how?"

Lestat stopped walking and gently set her at the base of a nearby tree. "This is the first time you've been bitten isn't it?" She nodded. Lestat knelt next to her and felt her forehead. "You're already getting a fever."

Lestat brought his forefinger to his mouth and cut the tip of it with one of his fangs. Pressing his thumb next to the cut he made the blood squeeze its way out. Harmony saw the blood and drew back away from him.

"This won't hurt you, I promise," he assured her. She relaxed and let him come closer. With his other hand, he tilted her head to the side, so he could see the bite better. Blood smeared the wound that was already bruising, and stained her hair. Quickly, before she could protest, he leaned forward and licked away the blood. He felt her stiffen beneath him. "You taste good," he breathed in her ear.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or not." She said trying to stay awake. Lestat smiled then let a drop of his blood fall into each wound. As the blood entered the bite marks, a hiss issued from them and sealed themselves, leaving no trace of a scar.

Lestat withdrew a few inches as Harmony felt her neck again. Finding no trace of the bite mark she looked at Lestat, who was sucking on the tip of his finger. "Thank you."

Lestat nodded then stood up, picking her up again. "Its time for you to sleep, Little One."

"But..."

_Sleep._ He whispered in her mind. She could not keep her eyes open any longer, not after Lestat used his powers to make her sleep. Her eyes grew heavy and closed. A small smile tugged at the corner of Lestat's mouth as he looked at the sleeping girl in his arms. Using his mind, he vanished and an instant later he reappeared a few feet from Harmony's front door. Harmony shivered as a cool wind blew against her already cold skin. Taking off his jacket, he carefully wrapped it around Harmony before walking to the front door and knocked.

After a few moments, a woman in her early to late thirties opened the door wearing a night dress, her blonde hair like a lion's mane. Lestat couldn't help thinking that the woman looked familiar. "Yes? Can I help..." She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Harmony in his arms. "Oh my god! What happened!?" She exclaimed.

"Someone had attacked her. I was able to chase him off before he did too much damage to her, Ma'ma. She was awake long enough to tell me where she lived...I take it that you're her mother? Right?" Lestat lied.

The woman nodded. "How badly was she hurt?" She asked as she reached out to touch her daughter's hand.

"The only thing I could find was a ring of bruises around her neck. I think her attacker had tried to strangle her."

"She's freezing. We need to get her inside before she catches her death out here," Harmony's mother said more to herself then Lestat. She studied the stranger standing outside her front door holding her daughter in his arms. She didn't know if he could be trusted...yet he had brought her daughter home safely. "Alright, come inside so she can get warm."

"Yes, Ma'ma," Lestat replied, playing the helpful gentleman. He carried Harmony inside the house and followed her mother up a flight of stairs.

"**RODGER**!" Harmony's mother shouted. "Come to Harmony's room right now!" She opened a door to the left of the hallway as Lestat heard a thud as if someone had fallen out of a bed.

"What is it Gabrielle?" A deep male voice asked as the owner of the voice ran into Harmony's room. Lestat was laying the unconscious girl on the bed, when he heard the name of Harmony's mother. _Gabrielle._ He thought. _I knew someone by that name...long ago..._ Harmony's father stopped just inside his daughter's room a few strands of brunette hair shading his eyes, eyeing the strange man and his unconscious daughter laying on her bed with a ring of bruises beginning to darken. "**WHAT IN BLOODY HELL DID YOU DO TO HER!?**" Her father roared as he aimed a fist at Lestat's jaw.

Blocking the blow with his forearm, "I did nothing to her," Lestat said quietly. "I saved her and brought her home."

"Rodger," Harmony's mother said, "I'll explain it to you in a few minutes. Will you please go get some ice for Harmony's neck? We need to take care of that bruising." He glared at Lestat, then nodded at his wife and left, his face red with rage.

Lestat watched him leave, then looked at Harmony's mother, as she leaned over Harmony, feeling her forehead. _This woman is very familiar to me...but where have I seen her before? _He thought again. As she righted herself and turned to look at Lestat with her bright blue eyes the realization struck him. _My mother. She looks like my mother, Gabrielle._ "I should leave before your husband returns."

As he turned to leave, Harmony's mother caught his arm. "Thank you for bringing her home."

Lestat nodded and turned to leave again. "Wait. You forgot your jacket."

Lestat looked at the sleeping girl wrapped in his jacket and again, felt a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "She can keep it."

She nodded. "What is your name, sir?"

He looked from the girl to the woman in front of him. "You can call me Lestat." He left the room as Harmony's father returned with the ice. If he listened closely, he could hear the mother telling her husband what had happened. Lestat used his mind to transport himself to his castle, though he knew Riska wouldn't be there.

Harmony woke up an hour before dawn still wrapped in Lestat's jacket. Her mother was sitting next to her bed, her head rested to the side as she dosed in and out of sleep. Gabrielle stirred out of sleep as she felt the bed move as Harmony tried to sit up. Gabrielle helped her and gave a drink of water to ease Harmony's parched throat.

Harmony looked around. "What time is it?" She asked quietly.

"Near dawn," her mother replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Little better then I did." She said absently, her mind on Lestat. His gentleness. His warmth. His scent. His scent was all around her; a sort of smoky smell mixed with a faint musky scent she couldn't place and the scents of the forests. She realized her mother had asked her a question. "Huh?"

"I said; did you know the man who brought you home?"

Harmony nodded.

"And? Who was he to you?"

She looked at her mother and slipped the jacket on before answering. "A friend," was all she said as she laid back on her pillows and was asleep before her head hit the pillows, breathing in the scent of the Vampire who had saved her life.

* * *

Oooo Riska's being a bitch lol. ok pplz need a little advise...should Lestat and Harmony fall in luv...or what? if no1 tells me wat they think in their review then ill just write watever comes to mind lol. R&R 


	4. Chapter 3

You know the drill. my chars plz dont steal.

* * *

Riska had not gone back to the castle after the bout with her father. Instead, she had found the tallest tree in the forest and had climbed, the old fashioned way, to the highest branch that would support her weight. The light of a nearly full moon shown on her already pale skin, making her look luminesint.

She didn't know how long she sat there in the tree watching the rising moon, but it felt like hours.

"I wonder if I should tell him what I can do now," she said to herself. "Tell him that I've regained my former powers after all these years. Maybe I could show him..."

She stood on the branch and jumped down, not making a sound as her feet touched the ground. Looking at the moon for a moment longer, she left.

Lestat met her at the door when she arrived. "We need to talk," he said, his eyes a dark indigo blue.

She nodded and went to sit on the couch, before he could say anything more she said, "Why did you protect that girl? She's the Slayer after all."

"It doesn't matter that she's the Slayer," he sighed. "It matters that she's an innocent mortal. I haven't killed an innocent for over a thousand years now. Fed on them, yes, killed them, no. Evildoers are easier...and they taste better."

Riska rolled her eyes. "You may have preferences, Father, but I don't really care who my prey is. I don't care if it's an innocent or evil mortal, or another Vampire. I just don't care, as long as my hunger is suppressed for a while, I'm happy."

Lestat shook his head. "You lost your powers for this ludicrous behavior once already, do you want to lose them again for the same damned thing?" He could feel that Riska had gotten her former powers back, just as he knew that the tiger striped haired and black eyed figure in front of him was not his daughter's true form. When she did not answer, he said, "Don't make the same mistake twice."

Riska looked at him for a moment. "It is a new age. It requires a new evil. And I am that new evil. I am the Vampire for these times." She had heard Lestat say this to the Great Council when she was a little girl.

"Evil is a point of view."

"Being evil means never having to say you're sorry," she replied.

"Like I said; evil is a point of view," Lestat repeated. "You're not evil, Riska. The more you try to be, the more pathetic you make yourself look. Be who you are, not what the mortals make us Vampires out to be." He told her and looked out the window; dawn was approaching.

Riska saw that dawn was approaching as well. "The sun will be rising in a few hours, we should get to bed," she said rising off the couch.

"Go ahead, I'll sleep later," Lestat said picking up his book.

* * *

ok i know really short, sry. R&R 


	5. Chapter 4

Ok sry for got to metion earlier lol _italics_ mean thoughts.

* * *

When she woke up that night, Lestat was not up yet, so Riska thought she'd write down some of the poems she remembered her sister, Chrystal, writing years ago. _Chrystal had been the youngest of Father's fourteen children, and she loved to write. More then, I think, Father. _she thought as she wrote. _My twin, Arianua, and I are the eldest, although I was born three minutes before Arianua._ "I'm the only one left..."she said to herself. 

She finished writing just as Lestat walked in wearing a pair of black leather pants, a high pair of black leather boots, his silver chain link shirt and a spiked dog collar. His long hair was brushed so that it framed his face with its waves. His beautiful eyes, now violet, shone with a mischievous glint.

"Well, this brings back a lot of memories," Riska commented. "What's the occasion?"

"Well, I'm having a few friends over. I don't think most of them have seen you since you were small."

"Alright," Riska said looking down at her paper.

"What'd you write?" He asked her, sitting next to her on the couch.

"Nothin' much really. Just some of Chrystal's poems, she didn't get a chance to write down before...you know..." Riska answered. "My heart may not beat, but it still feels pain..."she said sadly, "I miss them."

Lestat nodded. "So do I, Love, so do I." He hugged his daughter for a moment then said, "Will you read it to me?"

Riska nodded and began to read;

"Come to me, little mortal,

I can bring you to heaven's portal.

There'll be no sorrow, there'll be no pain.

Feelings of joy will fill your brain.

Come to me, sweet human thing,

Give me your heart and I'll make it sing.

Forget your fears, leave them behind.

Forget the troubles of your kind.

Come to me...yes that's right.

Now hold still, it's no good to fight.

I'll take your blood and leave you dying.

Didn't you realize I could be lying?"

She looked at Lestat and waited for him to say something. It seemed that he was thinking, but she wasn't sure.

Lestat seemed to finally collect his thoughts and said, "She wrote that?" The question was more to himself then to anyone else so Riska didn't answer. "That's how I was when I was young...how many Vampires are now. I wish that she had been able to it published before she died."

Riska nodded in agreement. "There's another one that I can remember, but I haven't written it down yet. You wanna hear it?" He nodded. "Chrystal called this one "An Undead Portrait"," she said then recited from memory;

"His hair is blonde, his flesh is cold;

He's tall and dark and lean.

His eyes are deep and dark and clear

With an unearthly sheen.

He lives in darkness, shunning light;

The sun would mean his death.

But does he live? He has no pulse

And, in his lungs, no breath.

His teeth are even, pearly white,

And yet, they're not quite right.

He does not he what mortals eat.

It is not bread he bites.

He stalks her and she does not flee;

She finds him mesmerizing.

But if she lets him seduce her,

Will she again be rising?

Does she imagine what he is,

Or is her mind overcome?

Does he have her in his spell?

Can she escape her looming doom?"

He laughed. "She wrote a poem about me?" He said, still laughing. "I love them, I'd like to hear more but my friends will be here any time."

Riska smiled. "Alright. Now tell me more about your guests."

Lestat cocked an eyebrow and said, "Well, Marius is coming over, as is Spike and Drake."

"Spike and Drake? You know them?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because Chrystal met them a few times. They protected her when you weren't around. Although she had to keep knockin' some sense into Spike because he wouldn't stop trying to grab her arse," she laughed. "And Drake...well...he angered her one day, how he did I don't know, and she told him that if he ever did it again, she'd stake him." She had to pause for a moment because she had stared laughing again.

Lestat smiled. "And?" He thought that he already knew what had happened, but he wanted to hear it just to make sure.

"He told her that she wouldn't do it," Riska said laughing still. "She shook her head, pulled out a stake and threw it at him, before he could so much as blink. As it thudded into his heart, he had this dumbfounded look on his face. She had walked over to him just as he burst into ash and picked up the stake off the ground." She smiled at Lestat. "You know how Drake is; he gets right back up after being staked; she was standing in front of him when he 'pulled himself back together'." Riska said. "Chrystal told him that that was for telling her that she wouldn't do it. Then she staked him again and said that that was because she could," Riska laughed again.

Lestat laughed as well. Yeah that's definitely what she'd do, too, he thought.

Riska smiled, "So when are they going to be here?"

"Any--"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

"Now," he said to her. He got up and went to the door, feeling a surge of power behind him. Marius, Drake and Spike entered the room just behind Lestat.

"So where is your daughter, Lestat?" Marius asked looking around the room, spotting a red-haired woman.

Lestat did not answer, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the woman. She stood up and walked towards them. Her long wavy red hair cascaded down her back, stopping just below her buttocks. Her skin was so pale it made freshly fallen snow look grey. Her eyes were an enchanting green, the color of emeralds glistening in the sunlight. The woman was smiling so that her fangs were visible.

The smile sent shivers down the men's spines and raised the hairs on the backs of their necks. The woman was dressed entirely in black leather. She wore a halter top and it was unzipped just enough to show some cleavage and her pants were very tight. They stopped just at her hips under her bellybutton, which was pierced. Lestat and the others could see that she also had a couple tattoos, one on the right side of her lower belly was a black scorpion and on the left side of her lower belly was a black rose just beginning to bloom.

"Well, are you just gonna stare at me or are you gonna say something?" She asked; her voice was like a gentle rain.

Drake was the first to speak. "Who are you, my child? What did you with Riska?"

Before she could answer, Lestat said, "That is Riska. This is her true form."

She smiled, "So you do remember what I used to look like." She looked at the others. "I was killed after I had been stripped of my powers. My mother, Ather, kept my soul with her 'till she could find someone whose body could handle my soul. She found a young girl who lived in the colonies, Rachel, and turned her. In doing so, my soul entered her body and took control of it, killing Rachel's soul in the process. It's not the way I wanted to come back, but Mother wouldn't consider any other way."

Spike frowned. "Who stripped you of your powers?" The British Vampire asked.

"The King of the Vampires at the request of the Council of Elders," she replied bitterly.

"And who is this 'king'?" He asked stepping towards her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "I could kill him if that's what you want."

Riska looked at each of his hands then back at him and raised an eyebrow. Spike let his hands drop and backed away a few steps. Riska looked at Lestat and smiled.

"I am." Lestat said in a tone that dared anyone to challenge him. "You still wanna try to kill me?" Of the entire Vampiric population, Lestat was one of the most powerful. There were very few Vampires or other beings, besides the Gods, that could match Lestat in power or strength. Everyone in that room knew that once Lestat had set his mind on killing someone, that person couldn't be saved. Lestat knew of only one person, a hybrid, that had been more powerful and stronger then he himself, but she was dead...

"You? You would strip your own daughter of her powers?" Spike demanded.

Lestat looked at him, his eyes turning an icy blue. "Yes. For her own protection and that of my people. It was either strip her of her powers or kill her."

Marius and Drake nodded, remembering that council meeting. The Elders had left Lestat with no other choices; he had not wanted to kill his daughter, his own flesh and blood, so he had taken her powers in order to spare her life.

"I'm hungry. Anyone else?" Riska asked changing the subject. She hated the subject of her disgrace.

"What a minute. If he's the king...then you're a princess?" Spike asked as Marius and Drake rolled their eyes at his slowness to comprehend the situation.

Riska rolled her eyes. "Yeah. So? I'd rather be a princess then a queen." The bitterness and anger in her voice was as sharp as a knife.

Marius spoke before she could say anything more. "Why are you so bitter and angry? Your hatred for something taints your aura."

She rounded on Lestat. "You never told them." She accused him. He shook his head, his eyes finding the grain of the table suddenly very interesting. Looking Marius in the eye she said, "My sisters were murdered. My twin and my little sister. My twin was within our little sister, most people thought that Chrystal had a multiple personality; which she did in a way."

"They were murdered?" He asked, not believing his ears. "Weren't you with them?"

"I hadn't been with them in a couple days. I was with Father. I didn't know something was wrong 'til I felt their pain and anguish. When I tried to go back to them, I found that Chrystal had blocked me from entering her body again. At the moment I thought that she was angry with me...only after she died did I realize that she had blocked me to protect me." Riska felt blood tears starting to run down her cheek and angrily brushed them away.

"How...?" Marius didn't finish his question.

"She was raped and shot multiple times." Riska's voice was full of venom. She sat on the sofa with her back to them so they could not see her face if tears threatened to spill again. Arianua had passed all her memories of the murder to Riska just before she had been rendered powerless because of being a spirit. Riska could see it clearly in her mind's eye as if it had only happened yesterday...her mind wondered to those memories of that Halloween night...

_Chrystal opened the door wondering who would be knocking at this time of night. Blinding pain from the butt of a gun colliding with the side of her face made stars burst in front of her eyes and nearly knocking her to the floor. The assailant pushed his way through the door dragging Chrystal by the hair behind him. Using her hair, he pulled her in front of him, allowing Chrystal an opportunity to slam her fist into his face. "So you wanna fight, you little bitch, fine," he sneered and slammed the back of her head against the wooden door and drove his knee into her stomach. She doubled over in pain but as she tried to right herself he used his fist and backhanded her, letting go of her hair so she fell to the floor. "I'll break you and you'll submit to me and beg me to give you mercy."_

_Chrystal spat blood from her mouth and got back to her feet. "Sorry to disappoint you, but those are two words that aren't in my vocabulary," sarcasm dripped from every word. She could feel and smell the blood the run from the gash at the back of her head and taste the blood in her mouth._

_"We'll see about that slut." He slammed her head into the door again then threw her against the frame of the kitchen door so that the front of head collided with it. She fell to the floor. He pinned her arms to the ground with his knees and ripped her shirt open. Chrystal continued to struggle even after her attacker had put the gun to her head and ripped her loose pants off. He proceeded to rape her. Though tears ran from her eyes, she didn't give him the satisfaction of screaming or asking for mercy. She closed her eyes and tried to throw him off, but couldn't because her arms were still pinned, now by his hands, and was weak from the loss of blood and the head injuries._

_He gave one last brutal thrust that made her body heave upward and made her clench her teeth harder then what she had been and emptied himself in her. He got up and zipped his jeans back up then kicked her in the ribs. Chrystal felt a couple of them break, this didn't stop her from standing up and walking toward him; she willed herself not to limp. "Stay down!" He snarled. She didn't listen and kept walking towards him. He shot her in the leg, just above her knee. It knocked her to the floor but she got back up and walked toward him again, her eyes now a poisonous emerald green instead of her usual light blue. He backed up a pace and shot her in the other leg, still she got up. Her attacker shot her twice more; once right between the lungs and the other dangerously close to the heart. The wound that was close to the heart began to spurt blood in time with her hear beat; the bullet had hit an artery. She fell backwards on the couch and he came toward her taking out a knife. _

_He knew that she dying, but he still used the knife to cut her along the white scar on the right side of her face. Just as he finished cutting her, Chrystal grabbed his arm and bit him as hard as she could on his wrist. He screamed and tore his arm away from her grasp. Chrystal's head fell back on the couch, and she died, her eyes open starring at him, her lips slack, her fangs barely visible. He looked at the wound on his wrist and saw blood gushing from the puncture marks and bound it with a rag. Picking up his weapons, he left closing the door behind him. Chrystal's eyes now starred at the clock on the wall. She died at 11:57. The night she was born was he same as when she died, her 20th birthday... _

Riska tore her thoughts from the memories, aware that someone had called her name. "Hmm?"

Marius said again, "I am so sorry, my child."

"I don't want pity, it was six years ago," she replied, "right now I think it's time to feed. Come, let us all go together," she said standing up. "But first I want to see an old friend."

They left the castle then she turned to Lestat and said, "Father, do you remember Asher, Chrystal's ex-boyfriend?"

"Yes," came the reply.

"Good, 'cause that's where we're goin'. He's still in California. Please give the others the directions and we'll go."

Lestat did so and then they were all standing in a pitch black room with music playing. Riska pressed her right index finger to her lips telling the others to stay quiet and followed the sounds of motion in the house. There were two men in the room they entered; one with short black hair, the other with red hair about shoulder length.

Riska recognized both by their auras, though one was human and the other had traces of Vampiric blood.

"Asher Rose and Nathanial Winters," Riska said aloud, "aren't the two of you a little old to be having a slumber party?"

Both turned as one and stared at her. "Who...who are you and how did you know our names?" Stuttered the red head. "And how did you get in here without us knowing?"

"What's wrong, boys? Don't recognize me?" She said ignoring the questions. "Here let me turn on a light for ya."

They looked at her in the light, looked at one another then at her company and back at her again. "Riska!" They exclaimed at the same time.

"Well? Are ya just gonna stand there?' She said to them. Asher moved closer first and folded her into his arms.

He kissed her neck and whispered in her ear, "I thought you died with Chrystal, babe. I've missed you so much." He released her and Nathanial embraced her kissing her neck as well.

"I've missed you too," he said.

She nodded and looked around. They were standing in the living room. "So how have you guys been?"

"Alright, I guess. And F.Y.I., Nate and I aren't having a slumber party, we're roommates," Asher replied.

Riska just shook her head then said, "How are Chrystal's parents and Emily?"

"Her parents?" Spike asked. "Isn't she your sister?"

"Yes, they are sisters, but I didn't raise her like my other children. She was raised by my queen, who had been reincarnated, and her husband. He raised her from the time Chrystal was five years old. I may have been in her life before that, but she didn't really know who I was 'till her seventh birthday," Lestat explained before Riska could speak.

"Bear took it hard, seeing as he had already lost one of his daughters," Asher said answering Riska's question. "Steph took it really hard too. She's pissed that no one has found her daughter's killer after six years."

"They haven't found her killer yet?" Riska said.

Asher shook his head. "He seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. I think that he should have been caught by now, seeing as how Chrystal had his blood in her--" Asher cut himself off, hoping he had not said too much, "...mouth, so I've heard anyway." He corrected himself.

Nice save, you bastard. Riska thought to herself. No one knew about the blood in her mouth besides the CSIs, the killer and my sisters and me. Dumbass...

"As for Emmy, ask her yourself." When Asher said that, she felt hands come around her waist and saw them lock fingers.

"Hello, sexy," someone whispered behind her. Riska turned while still locked between the arms and looked at the woman who had just spoken. The woman's black hair rested just at her shoulders, her dark eyes, sparkling.

Riska embraced and kissed her and said, "I've missed you so much, my love." They separated and Riska said, "Emily, I don't think you've met my father, have you?"

Lestat came forward and stood next to his daughter. Emily just looked at him. She looked him right in the eye for a moment then looked at the rest of him. Her eyes strayed over his arms and shoulders then went to his well muscled chest and abdomen. Her eyes swept over his clothes next. From his spiked dog collar, to his silver chain link shirt, and then to his leather pants and boots. The she got a smile on her face and looked at Riska then back at Lestat.

She shook his extended hand. _Damn he's hot._ She thought.

Lestat chuckled and cocked an eyebrow_. I heard that._

Emily opened her mouth to say something then thought better of it. _Thank you, Emily. Chrystal always said you were the biggest flirt she knew, and I come to find that she was right._ Lestat told her. Emily blushed.

She turned to Spike. "Chrystal and I used to role play a lot." She said to him. "I was you, and she was your girlfriend, Harmony."

Spike smiled, his fangs growing longer. "Is that so? You want me to make your fantasy a reality?" Spike stepped forward.

"I think not. I only allowed one person to bite me, and she's not here," she answered, willing herself not to step back from him. Spike grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him. Going on impulse as usual, Spike caught Emily's lips with his, crushing her body against him. Unusually strong for a mortal, Emily shoved him away from her just far enough so she could slam her fist into his jaw. "I _said_ no."

Marius caught Spike by the arm before he could go after Emily. "The Lady did say no, William." Spike glared at Marius for using that name.

Lestat raised an eyebrow. "Alright we should get going," he said to the others, "we have some hunting to do."

Riska nodded in agreement. She kissed Emily then rejoined the others. "I might be back to night, love, so try and get some sleep," she told her. The Vampires disappeared from the apartment then reappeared in a Vampiric town called New Mayhem, located just outside of New York. Riska led the way to the club called Las Noches. Just outside the door, Riska changed her appearance back to having tiger-striped blonde hair and black eyes.

Red strobe lights meet their eyes inside the club. Heavy bass music pounded the walls and floor from speakers hidden somewhere in the dark corners of the room. All four walls had floor to ceiling mirrors. All the mirrors were still covered with the spider web cracks from Riska's fight with Arubey a couple centuries earlier.

With Riska in the led, they made their way to the bar, lesser Vampires and mortals alike scrambling to move out of the way of her and her companions. Behind the counter of the bar was an Egyptian female Vampire taking a long draught from a dusty bottle.

"Vala. Tell Arubey he has company," Riska said to her.

Vala glared at her but did as she was told. A few moments later she returned from the room behind the bar. "He'll be here in a minute," Vala hissed. Riska nodded.

_Well, now who's not showing their true eyes?_ Said someone with an Egyptian accent, besides Vala, in Riska's mind.

_Hello Seth._ She answered and turned to her left.

Seth, an ancient Egyptian Vampire, was sitting on a bar stool looking at her with amusement. His eyes had gone pitch black when he had been turned, but he used his powers to turn them back to emerald green, the color they had been before he had been bitten and turned. Seth looked to be about 19 or 20 in age, although he is 6,000 years old. A few pieces of his black shoulder length hair fell over his shoulder as he shifted to see her more clearly and stroked his goatee.

"What do you mean?" Riska asked innocently, and sat next to him.

"You know what I mean, Riska. I can see right through that disguise of yours."

"I know. You're the only one I know who can."

"Love, he's here,' Lestat said in her ear.

Riska turned toward the bar and looked at the young man walking through the door. His face could have modeled a Roman coin. A few strands of his raven black hair had fallen across his pitch black eyes, shadowing them. His pendent was inverted silver cross with a serpent carefully molded to entwine around it. On his left forearm, he had a tattoo of Cerberus, the three headed dog who guarded the gates of Hell.

"What do you want Riska?" He snapped.

"Oh, just a little favor in return for sparing your life," she answered, smirking.

"And what's that?" He demanded, glaring at her. He had a mind to attack her but a look at her companions stilled his desire. As far as he could tell, they were all older then any other Vampire in the club, including Seth, save the bleach-blonde haired one; who seemed to be the youngest of her companions.

"I'm going to be doing something tomorrow night and I'm going to need as many other people as I can get."

"And I care...because?" He asked.

"Because it'll be fun. You know. Blood. Torture. Your kind of thing. You might have a little fun," she explained.

Arubey cocked an eyebrow and chuckled. "Sounds amusing. Alright I'm in."

"Good," Riska smiled. She turned back to Seth and said with her mind, _I hope you're there because I'll show Arubey who I really am and tell him who he really is._

_I plan to be._ He said in response and disappeared. Riska smiled again and got up.

"Come on guys, let's go." They left Las Noches and walked to a small town called Razma. There they hunted, then Lestat, Marius and Drake disappeared to go back to Lestat's castle and Riska and Spike went back to Nathanial and Asher's place.

The boys were asleep so they went up to Emily's room on the second floor. Emily was asleep when they entered her room. Riska kissed her forehead and wrote her a note. It said:

_**"**__Emily,_

_Spike and I came back to see you like I said we would, but you were asleep. We'll be back tomorrow night to get you and the boys, so be ready, okay? I've found Chrystal's killer, and he shall be no more come tomorrow night. Me and a friend have decided to teach him a lesson. See you tomorrow night, love._

_Love always, Riska de Lioncourt"_

Riska set the note on the table and looked at Spike. _We still have a few hours before dawn. We're in California and relatively close to Chrystal's parents' house. We should pay them a visit, besides, Steph has been wondering where I've been._

Spike nodded. _Lets stop by my place first. I've got something for you._

Riska smiled and nodded. Using their minds, the two Vampires moved themselves to Spike's home in a cemetery just inside Napa County. Spike led the way around the headstones to a huge marble tomb. "Close your eyes," he said with a smile.

Riska raised an eyebrow, but closed her eyes all the same. Spike took her by the hand and led her to the entrance and opened the heavy marble doors. "Alright," he said, "open your eyes."

Riska opened her eyes and looked into the tomb. There, sitting in the middle of the tomb, was a big black Harley Davidson. Riska gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth and looked at Spike.

"Go on," he said softly, "take a look at her." Riska ran into his arms and kissed his lips softly.

"Thank you," she said. She released him and walked over to the Harley. She ran her fingers over its sleek black form. On each side of the gas tank was a blood red angel wing painted in perfect detail so that the motorcycle looked to be flying.

Riska shifted back to her true form and straddled the big Harley.

"You look as if you were born to ride," Spike said. Riska looked up and saw him leaning against his Harley. She walked the motorcycle out of the tomb and into the moonlight. Its black figure gleamed.

"Ready?" She asked.

Spike mounted his Harley and kicked it to life in response. Riska kicked her to life as well then they raced out of the cemetery. They rode on toward Chrystal's parent's house in the town of Kelseyville.

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Do y'll think Spike should continue being an ass or should one of the others kick his ass back into shape? R&R 


	6. Chapter 5

Y'all know the drill...my chars dont steal. Some one plz review? PLZZZ :)

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Stephanie woke up to the sound of thunder. She got up and looked out the front window as two big black Harleys drove up into the drive way. There was a man with his bleach-blonde hair slicked back. The woman had long wavy red hair the cascaded down her back and stopped just below her buttocks. Both were wearing black trench coats.

As they parked their motorcycles and began walking up the porch, Steph went back to the bedroom to wake her husband. Just as he was getting up, they heard the strangers knock on the door. Bear and Steph walked into the living room and as Bear sat in his chair, Steph opened the door. The moon was bright and cast a silver glow through the trees surrounding the property and gave the strangers' exposed skin a luminesint glow.

"Hello, can I help you?" Steph asked the woman.

"Hello, Mother. It's been a long time since the last time I saw you," the woman said, her emerald eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

Stephanie frowned; she was having trouble trying to focus on the woman's aura, as if the woman knew what Stephanie was trying to do. The man's aura she had no trouble with, Stephanie was pretty sure that he was a Vamp, not more than a couple centuries old. She turned, indicating with her hand that they were to follow. She knew that without a spoken invitation in to the house that Vampires could not pass the threshold. The woman entered the house without any trouble; but when the man tried to come into the house, he seemed to walk into a brick wall, just as Stephanie thought he would.

Stephanie saw the woman roll her eyes at the man. "Could my friend come in please?" The woman asked.

"Alright. Fine, come in," Steph told him, wondering weather she could trust this Vampire and his companion in her home with her children. The man walked through the barrier and stood next to the woman. Closing the door to keep the sudden chill out of the out of the house she then walked back to where her husband sat and stood next to him. "Alright. Who are you," she demanded. "And why could you walk through the barrier when he could not?" She asked indicating the bleach-blonde haired man.

"Well, that's easy enough to explain. With your magick, you can't block anyone from coming in to your home if they are related to you. No matter what they are," the woman said as if this was just common sense.

"Related...? Alright which one are you?"

"Riska." The woman answered, her eyes seeming to glow in the dim light of the living room.

Stephanie narrowed her eyes. "If you're Riska...then where's Arianua?"

"Dead."

"What!? For how long?" Steph asked.

Riska looked around the room before answering. Nearly everything was in the exact place it had been in the last time she was here. "6 years now. She died with Chrystal."

"You say that without any kind of emotion," Stephanie's husband, Bear, stated.

"I have plenty of emotions of what took place, but none you could see," Riska smirked.

"Oi vay," he said, rolling his eyes. "And who are you to think you can speak of her in that way?"

"She's her sister, that's why," bleach-blonde haired man said defensively.

"When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you." Bear said.

"Shut up, Spike." Riska said to him. "We didn't come here to argue with them."

"Spike? The guy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" Bear asked.

Spike shrugged. "Sort of. I was James Marsters's stunt double for awhile."

"How did she die with Chrystal," Stephanie asked, "when you obviously didn't?"

Riska look down for a moment. "I was not there. I was with Father. When I tried to go back into her body and see if I could do anything to help...she blocked me and made it impossible for me to enter her body. I tried several times but failed each time. Arianua was there, but she had been asleep when the attack had begun. Chrystal had also blocked her from doing anything as well. According to what I felt through my link with Arianua, Chrystal tried to force Arianua out of her body once she knew she was going to die. Arianua refused to be forced out and died with Chrystal instead."

"So...Chrystal kept you from entering her body. And Arianua refused to leave her sister alone," Stephanie said more to herself then the others, fiddling with her pentagram. Riska nodded.

"Well, now that everyone's up to speed, maybe we should tell them what we came to say," Spike suggested," it's almost dawn."

Riska nodded. "Mother, I know who killed Chrystal and Arianua. My friends and I are taking him to a small town called New Mayhem to meet Aubrey. There, he will be no more." She looked from Stephanie to Bear and back. "Which one of you will go with us? We need one more person for the incantation I'm using."

Stephanie and Bear looked at each other. Bear nodded at her. "I'll go," Steph said. "When should I be ready?"

"Very well. Anytime after sunset tomorrow night," Riska answered.

Steph nodded. Riska and Spike turned to leave. When she opened the door, Riska said, "And Mother, be sure to get some sleep."

Stephanie nodded again and hugged Riska. Riska and Spike headed back to their motorcycles. As one, they mounted their Harleys, kicked them to life and sped down the drive way leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. They made their way back to the cemetery and put their motorcycles back in Spike's tomb. Then using their minds, they brought themselves back to Lestat's castle in the Caribbean.

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ok i know not very long, sry. R&R plz. oh and 4got to metion earlier...Riska is not a lesbian or a bisexual, when she kissed Emily, it was the forehead. 


	7. Chapter 6

ya ya, same drill. :

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Lestat was pacing the floor waiting for his daughter. It was nearly dawn and he was getting worried. Marius and Drake were watching him with amused looks on their faces that they tried to hide whenever Lestat looked over at them. Marius could remember when he first met Lestat when he was still very young. At that time Lestat only cared about himself. Marius found it amusing that Lestat cared about others now that he was an Ancient. Fatherhood suits him. Marius mused.

"Where are they?" Lestat asked of no one in particular. "They should have been here hours ago."

"They'll be here any time, Lestat," the Roman Vampire said to him.

"They'd..."

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Drake got up and went to answer the door while Lestat continued to pace the floor, his hands behind his back. Drake opened the door then called down to Lestat. "They're here."

Lestat stopped pacing and looked up as Riska and Spike walked through the door. "Where have you been, young lady?" Lestat demanded as they descended the stairs toward him. Marius and Drake hid smiles behind their hands.

Riska raised an eyebrow and took off her trench coat. Spike took his off as well and went to sit by Marius and Drake.

"Well?" He asked as she walked past him.

"We've been at Chrystal's parent's house," she replied sitting in a chair. "Stephanie will be going to Las Noches with us tomorrow as will Emily and the boys."

He nodded then repeated, "Steph will be there?"

"Yes. Is that going to be a problem?"

"No. No, not at all."

Marius stood up and looked at the approaching dawn. "We have a long night ahead of us. We should get some rest." The others nodded in agreement and headed to their rooms. The males all wondering what Riska had in mind and who Chrystal's killer was.

"Riska? Are you awake?" Marius called, knocking on the bedroom door. "Riska?" Marius opened the door to her room. In the middle of the room, Riska was just finishing getting dressed. Her back was to Marius but she was turned slightly so that he was able to see the side of her breast.

"Hello, Marius," she said as she slipped a black silk top with purple flames over her head. The long sleeves molded over her arms and sat low on her white shoulders. "I'll be there in a moment." She turned and Marius could that the top of the shirt curved around the swell of her breasts to meet the sleeves and the bottom of the shirt was an upside down V showing her well muscled abdomen. Her black skirt also had purple flames on it to match the shirt. "What?" She asked with a hint of a smile.

"N...nothing. The others are waiting," he said. She smiled and walked by him, well aware that he eyed her buttocks as she passed. _Damn she's beautiful._ He thought, and followed after her. They walked into the living room and everyone went silent.

"Are we ready to go?" Lestat asked his daughter.

"Yes. You and the others go get Emily and the boys. I'll go get Stephanie and meet you at Las Noches. Okay?"

Everyone nodded and departed to their destinations.

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i know its short sry again. R&R plz 


	8. Chapter 7

my chars no steally

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Stephanie was waiting by the front window for Riska, thinking that she would be arriving by motorcycle again. Riska appeared in the middle of the room, startling Bear and Steph. Riska looked at them and smiled.

"It is time," she said to Stephanie.

Bear looked at Riska's outfit. "Now I recognize you. Chrystal drew a picture of a redheaded girl with green eyes wearing that outfit and her twin."

Riska and Stephanie nodded, then Steph walked back over to Bear and kissed him. "How long will you be gone?" He asked her.

"I don't know," she answered, "but I'll be home as soon as I can." They broke apart and Riska held out her hand to Stephanie who took it. Then they vanished.

Lestat and the others appeared in Asher and Nathanial's place. Emily and the boys were waiting for them.

"Ready?" Spike asked. They nodded. "Good. Then let's go," he motioned for them to come closer.

Lestat used his mind to move all of them to Las Noches.

Arubey was waiting for them when they arrived. Stephanie was looking around when Lestat and the others arrived. Her eyes fell on Lestat and her lips broke into a smile as she walked closer to him. Lestat held out his arms to her and folded her into his embrace.

"Lestat," she whispered.

"Ather."

Arubey looked around. He saw everyone but the person who asked to be here. Riska. "Where is Riska?" He demanded, as Stephanie and Lestat broke apart. "She's supposed to be here."

"I am here, Arubey."

He looked at the speaker just as Seth came outside. "You're not she."

"Really? Ask anyone here. Even Seth," she said.

Arubey looked at Seth who nodded.

"Fine," he sighed, "let's begin. Riska, you're gonna have to tell us what we need to do."

Riska nodded. "Father, stand at the North point. Marius stand at the East. Drake at the West. I'll stand here at the South point. Arubey, stand between Drake and Father. Mother, between Father and Marius. Seth, would you come and stand between Marius and I? Thank you. Nathanial, between Drake and I. Asher, stand in the middle of the circle. Spike, Emily, go sit on that bench behind Drake." She looked around at Lestat, Drake, and Marius.

Nodding, she began, "North, South, East and West. Raise your right hand and point just above the middle of the circle. Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest, with your right hand point down toward the middle of the circle.

She looked around again, making sure everyone was doing as they were told. Seeing that they were, she closed her eyes and said,

"We call on our God Osiris to hear our pleas...

Open our hearts, open our minds to spirits from the other side.

The ones that we have loved and lost come back to us now, please come across.

Please come across in body and soul, please cross now the Great Divide.

Harm to none, as we will,

So mote it be!"

Just as she finished the spell, a voice boomed its answer. **"So you have asked! So it shall be!"** Violet colored flames erupted from the hands of those who stood at the North, South, East and West points and collided at the center of the circle, just above Asher's head in a six foot diameter circle startling him. Emerald colored flames erupted from the hands of those standing at the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest points to collide in a six foot diameter circle around Asher inches from the ground. The emerald flames burst upward in a column of blinding light and scorching heat as it melded with the violet flames from above. "Asher. Walk through the wall of fire. Now!" Riska said over the roar of the fire.

"Are you insane!!" He yelled.

"Just do it damn it!"

Asher considered just staying within the column of fire, but changed his mind as the heat began to grow unbearable. Covering his face with his arms, he walked as fast as he could through the flames as he felt them licking at his body. Just as he got threw the flames, the ground heaved up and pitched forward, nearly knocking Asher to the ground. Stephanie caught him with her free hand before he fell. Sliver fire erupted out of the ground within the column of swirling violet and emerald flames, magnifying the heat and light. The silver fire died away, revealing a large cavern. Riska gestured for the others to lower their hands so that the violet and emerald fires died away. Riska and the others saw that a stone stairwell led into the depths of the cavern.

Footfalls met their ears, a long shadow bounced on the wall. A head with long silvery-white hair emerged from the darkness. The skin was stretched over the skeleton while silver-grey eyes were sunken into the skull. As the rest of the body emerged from the darkness, they saw it was more of a walking skeleton then a person. It was wraith-like with claws instead of fingers and talons instead of toes.

Once the wraith-like creature was out of the cavern, it closed again. Stephanie, Asher and Nathanial drew back away from the creature. The others stayed where they were.

"She needs to feed," Spike said from behind Drake. "She should feed from the strongest of us."

Lestat nodded in agreement and stepped forward. The creature glared at him and bared its fangs, hissing. _It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. You need to feed. You need your strength back to bring your killer to justice, do you not?_ He asked with his mind.

It nodded and stepped closer to him closing the last remaining feet between them. The creature placed its hand at the back of Lestat's head and gently pulled his head back exposing his throat. It put its other hand at his waist and brought him closer. As it lowered its head closer to Lestat's throat, its fangs grew longer and sharper.

When its fangs pierced his throat, its eyes turned an emerald green and its hair turned to the exact same shade of red as Riska's. Lestat sighed, closing his eyes and brought his right hand pressing the creature's head closer to his neck and his left hand at its lower back. As it fed, the creature began to look less wraith-like and more like Riska. Lestat began to grow paler under his black shirt the longer it fed. The paler he got, the harder he gritted his teeth, as if he were in pain.

"That's enough, my daughter. No more," he said weakly. "Arianua! No more!" He cried, trying to push her away from him. Lestat was beginning to grow limb in her arms from the loss of blood. Arubey walked over to them and grasped her around the waist, Seth grasped Lestat in the same manner, at a nod from their heads, they pulled Lestat and Arianua apart.

Arubey pulled Arianua away from Lestat with such force that they both lost their balance and fell. Riska and Marius darted in to catch them before they hit the ground. Riska and Arianua looked at each other. Arianua tilted her head to one side. They wore almost the exact same outfit, with only a few minor differences. The flames on Arianua's outfit were pale blue not purple, and instead of a large upside down V that wrapped itself around her sides and up her back like Riska's, Arianua's top went all the way across with a small upside down V in the middle. But like Riska's outfit, it showed off Arianua's well muscled stomach, pierced bellybutton, and both tattoos that were identical to Riska's. Even Arianua's long beautiful red hair cascaded down her back to just below her buttocks. The only difference between them, besides Arianua's color changing eyes and hair, was Riska's scar.

The sisters embraced then broke apart. The de Lioncourt twins were once again reunited.

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ok a little longer tho not by much huh? oh well R&R plz 


	9. Chapter 8

my chars, no stealing

* * *

Lestat lay on the ground, his eyes closed, his breathing ragged. Arianua looked at him. Walking over to him, she knelt by his side, biting her own wrist until it bled and held it to his lips and cradled him in her arms as though he were a baby.

Slowly he began to regain his strength and what color he had lost. Pulling her wrist from his mouth, she stood up, licking the rest of the blood from her wrist so it would heal. Arianua held her hand out to her father to help him up. Standing up, he looked into the eyes of his daughter. The daughter he had not looked upon for 6 long years. Lestat pulled her into his arms, blood tears in both of their eyes but not spilling over.

"My daughter, I thought you were lost to me forever," he whispered in her ear.

"You never lost me, Da," she replied quietly, her voice was like a light breeze blowing through the trees of a forest. "I was with you and Riska always, and Mother."

"Is this what you meant when you came to me in that dream?" He asked as he let her go.

"Yes. I knew Riska would try to bring me back." She turned to the rest of the group standing around, watching her and Lestat. Her hair turned back to being silvery-white and her eyes went back to the silver-grey that were her own. Looking at the rest of the people gathered, her hair and eyes shone with an eerie gleam from the light of the moon that was now high in the night sky. "Everyone, get into a circle," she commanded in a cold icy voice that sent shivers down their spines and had the hairs on the backs of their neck standing on end and was very unlike that quite gentle voice they had just heard a few moments ago.

Only the Vampires moved to do as she ordered. "Now!" She hissed in the same cold voice to the rest of them. They jumped to do as they were told. Arianua stood in the center of the circle. Looking around, she saw Arubey and walked over to him. "Give me your blade, Arubey," she said to him.

He looked at her as while he drew his blade out of its sheath and handed it to her, hilt first. Damn. She is one Vampiress you do not want to have pissed off at you. He thought, not knowing that she could hear him.

She smirked at him. You think that about me...my little sister is much worse. His eyes widened. He hadn't felt her in his mind. He couldn't believe that she had gotten through his mental barriers. "Thank you," she said to him and turned back to the rest of those assembled. "One among us has done a great wrong. One among us does not belong. My murderer is here, with-in this circle, and only three of us here know who it is. The murderer, my sister and I."

"However, Riska and I are going to give the killer a chance to come forward on his own. The murderer has ten seconds to comply. Starting now." Arianua began to count, "ten...nine..." She started to twirl Arubey's dagger in her hand.

Everyone but Riska began to look around. "...seven...six..."

No one seemed to want to step forward. "...three...two..." The dagger became a blur in her hand. "...one..." She looked up and saw that no one had come forward and smiled. "It seems that my murderer has become a coward, has he not?" The blade in her hand had long ago become a blur, but now it was moving so fast that the mortal eye could not register what was spinning so rapidly in her hand. "Fine," she said, "let me see here. There seems to be someone missing."

Still twirling Arubey's dagger, she threw it. Arubey's blade sliced through the air and everyone heard an anguished cry of pain and surprise, signifying that the dagger had hits its intended target. Smiling, Arianua walked forward to the edge of the circle. Someone was stuck on the side wall of Las Noches, the dagger stuck in their left hand, pinning the person to the wall.

The person was in the shadows of the building, Arianua stepped forward, placed a hand at the back of his head, grasping a handful of hair and forced his head into the light of the moon.

"Asher!" Rage made Stephanie's voice crack.

Lestat stepped forward, grabbing Asher's right wrist and ripping off the black leather wrist cuff. "This is indeed their killer. Chrystal bit his wrist just before she died," Lestat said, looking at the two white scars on Asher's wrist. "Do what you will, Arianua, he is yours."

"Hey, child, how does that blade feel," Arubey asked, looking at the knife embedded through flesh and into stone.

"Like liquid fire!" Asher gasped through gritted teeth.

"Thought so," Arubey said with a smile of satisfaction. "That blade was not forged from human silver but from the silver forged by the Triste Witches' magick. That blade was made to kill and scar Vampires and Demons. I gave Riska her scar with that same dagger."

"And I gave you an identical scar with it as well, Arubey," Riska smirked. Arubey rolled his eyes.

Arianua let go of Asher's hair and grasped the hilt of the dagger. As she pulled it out of his hand, she twisted it, making the wound torn and shredded instead of cleanly impaled. "Help me, Nate!" Asher cried. Nathanial shook his head and glared at him. As soon as the knife was out of his hand, Asher tried to run like a foolish child from the monster under the bed, but Arianua was too fast for him and before he knew what was happening to him, she had wrapped her fingers around his throat. She lifted him off the ground and threw him. He landed some twenty-odd feet away. Shakily, he got to his feet and looked at her with a look of cold rage and hatred in his brown eyes.

In the blink of an eye, she was upon him, blade at his throat. _You killed my sister and me. Without any reason that we could see._ Her voice pierced his mind, blinding his to all else. _**Why?!**_

In to much pain to try and speak mind to mind with her he said, "I killed her because...if I couldn't have her...then no one could!!" He yelled the last word, glaring at Emily.

Arianua narrowed her eyes and lowered Arubey's dagger. She saw the relief in his eyes as he thought that she wasn't going to kill him. Her hair turned back to red and her eyes turned back to emerald green as she smiled evilly. "You killed us because you couldn't have her," she laughed. "Stupid human." He took no more than a step backward when her fingers were once again wrapped around his throat. Bringing the dagger to her mouth, she flicked her tongue along the flat side of the blade tasting Asher's blood. Her eyes flashed and Arianua bit hard into the right side of his throat.

_Time to die, human. Time to feel my long anticipated revenge, for revenge is a dish best served cold. Unlike how hot your blood is as it runs down my parched throat. _Her voice again piercing his mind. She let that first spurt of hot thick liquid roll across her tongue, savoring its taste and letting it coat her parched mouth, while Asher's screams split through the quite night_. You killed us. Now...you shall die. You will die with your own screams echoing in the quite night and my laughter ringing in your ears._

As she fed, she did not subdue the pain of the bite, but increased it as she fed. Asher tried pushing her away with all his strength but it felt as though he were pushing against a brick wall. Arianua finally ceased to feed as his heart beats began to slow and his breath became shallow. "Nemo me impune lacessit."

As Asher lay limp on the ground, fire once again rose from the ground. After a few moments of burning, they dispersed and the jackal-headed God stood before the gathered circle. Anubis turned his pitch black orbs to Arianua. "I have come for what was promised to me," he said, though his lips never moved, all present heard him perfectly. Hearing his voice, Lestat, Stephanie, Emily, Marius, Drake and Spike realized that this was not the same voice that had spoken earlier.

"Yes, My Lord. I offer you the soul of the mortal that murdered my sister and me, that is if it pleases you and My Lord, Osiris." Arianua's voice had lost the coldness that it had had only moments before.

Anubis's eyes seemed to bore into Arianua's, yet she did not flinch or lower her gaze from his. "You know very well that one soul is not equal to another, Arianua. You also know that he does not belong in the Underworld. However, I will see to it that he gets to where he belongs. You, on the other hand, Princess Arianua, belong to the Underworld. Always have. Always will."

"Yes, My Lord," Arianua said bowing.

Anubis looked at Asher, who was now struggling to stand up. He raised his left hand, and as he did, Asher rose from the ground and drifted toward the jackal-headed God. Asher had a look of sheer terror on his face as he looked into the God's pitch black eyes. Asher seemed to be drowning in Anubis's gaze. Emily watched as Asher drifted closer to the God. She had a nagging question in the back of her mind that wouldn't leave. Emily had heard the spell that Riska had used and had heard her ask that "the ones we have loved and lost" come back. _The ones!_ Emily thought. _Riska wanted both her sisters to come back! Not just Arianua. So...where is Chrystal?_

Emily stood up. "You! With the dog head," she said as she ran toward Anubis as Asher reached him. Anubis turned toward her. "Wait. I have a question for you."

"Jackal head. Not dog head," he corrected her.

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever," Emily said as she drew even with him. Anubis looked at the young woman who didn't seem to care if she insulted a God or not. If he had eyebrows he would have raised them. "Look...who ever you are, Riska asked for both of her sisters to be brought back. Not just her," Emily said pointing to Arianua. Emily waited for a moment to see if the God would say something. "Where's Chrystal? Why didn't she come back too?" She asked when he said nothing.

"Chrystal was never in the Underworld," was all he said as flames erupted around his feet consuming him and Asher. Asher's screams ripped through the quiet night once more as Arianua's laughter rang in his ears for the last time. When the flames died, only a heap of fine grey ash was left.

Emily rounded on Arianua. "Where is Chrystal?! Where did she go if she wasn't with you?" She demanded, jabbing her finger into Arianua's chest and making her back into the wall Asher had been pinned to. Lestat looked slightly amused that Emily was forcing Arianua against the wall, considering that his daughter still had Aubrey's bloody dagger in hand.

"I don't know where she is," Arianua's already quite voice had become slightly quieter.

"What do you mean? You were there with her. You should know." Although Emily's voice remained steady, the unshed tears in her eyes betrayed her feelings.

"Look, when Anubis came for me, he told Chrystal that she was not to come with me to the Underworld. He told her that she was to go with the man behind her," Arianua explained. "She seemed happy when she saw him."

"What did this guy look like?" Emily asked, a little nicer. "What color was his hair, eyes?"

Arianua closed her eyes, remembering. "He had huge black wings. His hair and eyes were black."

"Black wings and black hair and eyes," Emily said to herself, frowning. Her head snapped up. "Dragon! She's with Dragon!" She said to Stephanie.

"Who's Dragon?" Lestat asked, puzzled.

"Dragon is...was...Chrystal's guardian angel. He's been with her since she was born," Stephanie explained.

"Yeah," Emily said, "Dragon is a Fallen Arch Angel. Diablo assigned him to Chrystal to protect her until the time came when he needed her."

"How do you know all this, Emily?" Steph asked

Emily looked down at her feet. "I let Dragon use my body once, when Chrystal spent a weekend at my place. He was too injured to come in person like he usually did. I think he pissed Diablo off somehow. Anyway, Chrystal asked him why he was her guardian and he told her. It was because Diablo had told him to make sure she stayed safe until he needed her. Dragon told her that although he was supposed to make sure that she stayed damned, he sometimes led people he's protecting into the light." She looked back up. "He loves her, you know."

"So why would Diablo need Chrystal?" Stephanie asked her. "Why would she want to keep a fallen angel as a guardian if it would mean that she went to Hell?"

"Where Chrystal's at isn't called 'Hell'," Emily told her. "It's called... Shangrala," she said quietly.

"What are you talking about? Of course it's called Hell. Especially if Diablo's there," Stephanie argued.

"No. It's not. I've been there with her. Several times. We have friends down there. Shangrala is in Hell, yes, but Shangrala is a town just a little bigger then Kelseyville. It has its own schools and there are houses with families. It's a beautiful place. It really is. Dragon took us to and from Shangrala 'til Chrystal figured out how to do it herself, then she did it." Emily explained to them.

"Emily. Is 'Dragon' his real name?" Marius asked.

Emily shook her head. "It's his nickname. That's what everyone started calling him because the only animal that would follow him around everywhere was a dragon."

"Then what's his real name?" Marius asked.

"Michael."

Arianua spoke up. "There was a small dragon with the man that Chrystal went with. Could that have been him?"

"That was him. I know it was," Emily insisted. "He would have taken her to Shangrala...at least I think he would have." She turned away from the others and went back to the bench and sat down again.

Nobody said a word. Arianua wiped the remnants of Asher's blood off the dagger as she stepped away from the wall. Handing the dagger back to Arubey she turned toward Nathanial. "Nathanial, come meet your son."

Nathanial moved closer to her, confused. Riska stepped forward as well. "There is something that Ather never told you, Arubey," she said quietly. "Ather told you that she turned you, that wasn't true. I was married to a mortal three thousand years ago. He was a Roman. We were married for five years and I made sure that I was careful not to let him find out what I was. His name was Nathanial Selket." Riska stopped and looked at Arubey then continued. "His mother was a Roman, his father an Egyptian. Well a few months after our fifth year of marriage, I found out that I was pregnant. Nine months went by without any trouble, then I went into labor. I gave birth to a baby boy with raven black hair and pitch black eyes. No one would have known that the baby wasn't human, except that he had been born with fangs."

"As soon as he was born, the baby wanted blood. Nathanial knew my secret and ran to find a Hunter. There had been a few of them who had been staying in the village for a few days. I knew that me and the baby were no longer safe, so I fled with my baby wrapped in a blanket in my arms. As I fled, I called to my mother, Ather, with my mind and told her what had happened. She told me to meet her in the mountains on the outskirts of the village with the baby. So I did, and I gave her my baby and went into hiding. Can you guess who the baby was, Arubey?" Riska asked him.

Arubey looked at her, understanding. "The baby...was me," he whispered.

Riska nodded. "Ather raised you for 18 years but didn't tell you who your real mother was like I asked her to. She led you to believe that she was your mother. I remained in hiding for ten long years, unable to see my son for fear of directing the Hunters toward you."

"So they killed you? How?" He asked.

"They found me while I slept. I had not fed in days or slept in days and my body finally decided to make me sleep. I was able to find a small cave before my body shut itself down. My husband was leading the hunt for me. They found me a few hours after dawn. Nathanial drove a wooden stake through my heart. A mere piece of wood would not have killed me but one of the Hunters was a Triste Witch and he had smeared the stake with his own blood. I woke just long enough to see him, then I began to burn from the inside out. It only took a few seconds for the blood to kill me, but it felt like an eternity," she shuddered at the memory.

"Okay. So you're my mother and Ather's my grandmother, and he was my father," he said indicting Nathanial. "Then who's my grandfather? Vampires can't have kids."

"I am," Lestat answered. "Only Vampires of my bloodline can have children."

"I don't even know who you are," Aubrey said to him.

"I know you don't. My name is Lestat."

Aubrey's eyebrows shot up. "Lestat? Lestat de Lioncourt? The Vampire born of human parentage?"

Lestat chuckled. "I see my reputation proceeds me."

"So why can only the Vampires born of your bloodline have kids?"

Lestat tilted his head to the side. "Because of my human parents. I'm a freak of nature...which, I think, is a good thing."

"Makes sense. I guess."

"Lestat, there is but an hour before dawn," Drake said. "We should be getting these three home," he finished indicating Emily, Nathanial and Stephanie.

Seth stepped between Riska and Arubey, putting an arm around each of their shoulders. "So. Mother and son. Isn't this just peachy? When are you two going to try and kill each other again? That last fight between you two was just grand. Can't wait to see another bout between the two of you," Seth said before he waved farewell to the others and walked back into Las Noches.

Arubey rolled his eyes. "He's never going to let me live this down."

Everyone said good-bye to Arubey and departed. Lestat and the twins left with Stephanie and Spike took Emily and Nathanial home. Drake and Marius went back to Lestat's castle.

* * *

Riska and Arubey, mother and son...cool huh? R&R 


	10. Author's Note

Thank you to the people who have put my story on their favorites list or alert list. I would really like for someone to review the story so I know what everyone thinks of it, of what could be added or taken away. Something. I'll update quicker if I get a few reviews. Until I do, then I'm not gonna update 'cause I don't know what y'all like or dislike about it. Please let me know. 

- SilverRavenClaw


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